Child-friendly taps elate locals in Reugha village

ROLPA, Sept 21: Reugha, a village in upper Rolpa, was struggling for drinking water since a long time. To the delight of the people, water taps have been constructed in each house providing a great relief to the locals. What has elated the locals more is that the taps are child-friendly.

This is one of the successful projects of Rolpa Municipality. As per the project, water has been brought to each house through a lift from above 250 meters high. A total of Rs 5 million was invested in the project, in which the municipality funded about Rs 3.5 million while the rest was donated by the locals. All 36 taps are child-friendly taps.

With a cheerful smile on her face, Bal Kumari Thapa, a local of Reugha, said, “Earlier, it was so difficult for us to fetch water but now we don't have to walk for miles in search of water as water taps are available in all of our homes." Children no more need the help their parents to fetch water due to the child-friendly water taps.

According to the chairperson of Rolpa Municipality Purna KC, 'Rimul River Siwang' Drinking Water Consumers Committee completed the project within four months. "If there is will and hard work, nothing is impossible and this project is a great example of that," said Chairperson Kc. He further informed that locals will no longer have to struggle for drinking water in any season.

As stated by the acting chief of Rolpa Municipality Kaman Singh Thapa, the completion of this project has proved that the active participation of consumers' committee and public can lead to the success of any project in future too. “Villagers had put great efforts in the project which is commendable,” he said. This project has benefited 60 households of this village.

Sarita Gurung, a local who had worked as a volunteer during the construction of taps, shares, “Remembering my working hours, we had worked at night on a daily basis for four months and it was obviously a tough task,” she further adds, “Hard work really pays off.”

Officials of the municipality are happy that they have been able to contribute to the welfare of the locals. Earlier, people were facing water crisis in the village. Locals had to carry water in jars or pots for at least half an hour from the ponds or rivers. It has been found that women have benefitted more from this project as they were the one who had to walk for hours to fetch water.